It is every tennis player’s dream to share the stage with the Big Three—Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and Novak Djokovic—and young tennis champion Carlos Alcaraz is no exception. The newly released docuseries Carlos Alcaraz: My Way digs deep into the 22-year-old’s psyche, exploring how he wants to do things differently and not let life sweep him along in the pursuit of tennis greatness. Alcaraz first rose to international fame at the age of nineteen when he won his first Grand Slam at the Australian Open. However, the newfound fame came with its own set of challenges: the demands of social obligations, brand endorsements, and the relentless pressure to maintain his world number one ranking. The docuseries captures these struggles and more, while showcasing the dark side of ambition and the immense sacrifices required to stay at the top.
Story: Carlos Alcaraz: My Way, a docuseries streaming on Netflix, captures the complexities of life as a top tennis player. The series takes the audience on a journey from Carlos’ childhood to his present, where the athlete grapples with the pressure of retaining his world number one ranking, while also dealing with injuries and the mental strain of overthinking.
The docuseries showcases these complexities through Carlos’ 2024 tennis tour, covering tournaments like the Australian Open, Roland Garros, Wimbledon many more. How the athlete makes his way to the top and how he navigates the joys of victory and heartbreak of losing forms the emotional core of the series. Carlos is introduced as a tennis prodigy who beat Casper Rudd at the 2022 Australian Open, making him the youngest champion of the tournament in its history. While the young athlete has undeniable fire and ambition in his eyes, he struggles to cope with loneliness and the emotional toll of being separated from his family.
The series is narrated in a series of flashbacks between Carlos’ present life and his early years before his breakthrough at the Australian Open. This marks a contrast between his past and present self while he grapples with the relentless pressure to consistently perform at the highest level on the court.
What makes the docuseries worth watching is its effort to showcase different facets about the world of tennis. Rather than trying to glorify or depict Carlos’ suffering and hardship, the makers also give a voice to his team members—such as his coach, Juan Carlos Ferrero, and his agent, Albert Molina, who themselves struggle with maintaining a work-life balance in the hopes of making Alcaraz the best tennis player in history.
Through his interviews, Carlos gives us a glimpse into his mind. While the athlete is aware of his skills on the court, he is not willing to be a ‘slave to the sport’ as others before him have. The young athlete is torn between the ambitions of making it to the top, but also feeling the need to live life on his own terms while paving his own path forward. Throughout the series, it becomes clear that while Carlos’ team is highly professional and has carefully a path for him, but the young star craves freedom. The star athlete went on a holiday weeks before the Wimbledon final to blow off the steam, and this approach sometimes pays off and sometimes it doesn’t.
The docueseries marks a stark comment on the struggles tied to ambition. Alcaraz is the youngest tennis player in history to win an Australian Open and is a two-time Wimbledon champion before turning twenty-two. But Carlos faces the heavy burden of constantly staying on. He reveals that there are times when he does not feel like picking up a racquet and that he will stop playing tennis when it starts feeling like an obligation.
In the finale episode, the world is seen drawing similarities between Carlos and his idol, Rafael Nadal. While the world hails Alcaraz to be the heir to the throne, the young athlete makes it clear: he doesn’t want to be compared to anyone—he wants to be known simply as Carlos Alcaraz Garfia. Speaking about the life of a professional tennis player, Rafael Nadal in his interview stated that the moment a player starts thinking that they are sacrificing too much, is the moment they have burnt out and should not play tennis anymore.
Review: The world is aware of Alcaraz’s abilities, and the series depicts that his specialities lie in dominating his mind. The young athlete gets episodes of depression but is able to overcome those feelings for the sake of victory. During the tour, Alcaraz sustained an injury that significantly affected his game just as he was preparing to compete at Roland Garros. But he showcased his true potential by banking upon the opportunity when his opponent, Sinner, started having cramps in his hands by making his game even stronger. Reflecting on his game, Alcaraz’s agent Albert, rightfully said that tennis is not about being spectacular but about having a spectacular mind. Ultimately, Carlos fulfilled his dream by winning the Roland Garros title, defeating Alexander Zverev in the final.
The docuseries paints a wholesome picture of Carlos’ life. He is a 22-year-old athlete who dreams of being the best but also wants to enjoy simple moments with his friends. The episodes capture Carlos travelling to Ibiza during his tour to blow off steam and return, only to realise that he did not get proper rest to win against champion Novak Djokovic at Queens. It is moments like these that capture the highs and lows of Carlos’ life, to make him more human and relatable rather than a prodigy that the world considers him to be.
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While Carlos and his team are confident in the player’s abilities, we also see the team members questioning whether Carlos has the mentality needed to sit at the table with the Big Three.
While Nadal said that one must be a ‘slave’ to the sport to reach the top, Carlos refuses to believe that mindset and wants to stay happy. In his interview, Carlos says, “I would choose happiness over massive success because happiness is always success. And it’s not an easy thing to find.”
The episodes highlight how the highs of winning are exhilarating, while the heartbreak of losing can be gut-wrenching. In this three-episode series, we see Carlos celebrating his Wimbledon victories but also breaking down in tears during an interview after he loses against Novak Djokovic at the Paris Olympics 2024. It leaves you wondering—does it ever truly get easier?
Verdict: Carlos Alcaraz: My Way is a must-watch for tennis lovers. It shines a light on the dark side of ambition and how a young athlete copes with the pressure of staying on top while trying to live life to the fullest. The tennis prodigy has already made history, but that is not enough to mark his name in the history books. The series is gripping but also gut-wrenching as it captures Alcaraz celebrating the highs and enduring the lows of his career, with his team stepping in as a surrogate family to pull him out of mental slumps. Carlos is brilliant, has a killer instinct but his tendency to overthink sends him into a loop that is hard to escape. Do not watch the docuseries expecting to understand and learn about the nuances of tennis, rather watch it to understand what it takes to be the best in the world. Will Alcaraz become a ‘slave’ or continue to carve a path on his own terms is something that we have to look forward to in future. At its core, the docuseries leaves you wondering whether all the sacrifices made for greatness are truly worth it.
Carlos Alcaraz: My Way
Watch on: Netflix
Director: Jorge Laplace
Cast: Carlos Alcaraz
Rating: 3.5 stars
